


Destiny Will Wait No Longer

by kimirce



Series: next stop, anywhere [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: 5x05, Destiny, Episode: s05e05 The Disir, Gen, Incomplete, Merlin kinda screwed up, POV Arthur, Semi-Reveal, The Disir - Freeform, mordred isn't evil btw, season 5, this is basically just a snippet that was sitting in my docs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:13:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25387351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimirce/pseuds/kimirce
Summary: When Arthur confronts the Disir, Merlin steps in unexpectedly. The knights and Arthur are bewildered - except for Mordred, who shares Merlin's distress at what the Disir reveal.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Mordred (Merlin)
Series: next stop, anywhere [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838635
Comments: 15
Kudos: 284





	Destiny Will Wait No Longer

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this more than a year ago, and it's just been sitting in my docs. It's not particularly well-written - I try to avoid using present-tense these days, for one thing - but I think it's an interesting concept. I have no idea what to do with it, so it's just gonna go here, in this series for incomplete works.

It happens almost too fast for Arthur to figure out what has happened. Gwaine flies back, and Arthur sees a flash of something headed straight for him – and someone grabs him, pulling him down to the ground.

Arthur shakes Merlin off and rises to see a wooden bolt buried in the cave wall behind him, and all his knights brandishing their weapons as Gwaine struggles to rise. He turns his own blade on the women and opens his mouth to speak, but Merlin steps in front of him – just as another bolt flies forward.

His voice rises, he steps forward with his heart in his throat to pull Merlin back, but it’s too fast, he’s not going to be fast enough, this is the moment that Merlin is going to die for him.

And then, the bolt halts just before impaling itself through Merlin’s chest, and Merlin looks up at the Disir and speaks.

“Enough,” he says, and his voice is strong.

Arthur hears rustling behind him, knows that his knights are nervous and unsettled. “Merlin,” he hisses, stepping forward to grab him, to pull him back from this idiocy. Anger and fear throb together in his chest.

He halts as the Disir speak. “Emrys,” they breathe together. The length of wood hovering at Merlin’s heart drops to the ground, and the tension in Arthur’s ribs eases.

“This is not right,” Merlin says.

“It is not,” answers the hooded woman on the left.

“Albion should be at peace.”

“Magic should be free.”

Arthur can see Merlin’s knuckles are white from how hard his fists are clenched. _Shut up, shut up,_ he thinks. _You’ll get yourself killed._ But Merlin is an idiot, and so he continues to speak.

“There is still time,” he says, almost pleading.

“There is little left.”

“If the Once and Future King cannot embrace magic,” begins the first.

“Destiny will go unfulfilled.”

“The Old Religion will wither.”

“And Albion will see a thousand years of darkness.”

The Disir stay silent, waiting. Merlin is trembling, seemingly unsure of what to say next. Arthur sees Mordred to Merlin’s left, staring at him wide-eyed. Gwaine is a step below him, holding himself stiffly, but his sword is braced. He takes his eyes from the Disir to glance at Arthur, and Arthur sees his concern for Merlin mirrored in Gwaine’s eyes.

“He is a good man,” Merlin says. “And a great king.”

“You have lost sight of your duty, Emrys,” says one of the women.

“My duty is to protect Arthur,” Merlin says venomously. “I’ve done that.”

 _What?_ Arthur thinks, stupefied.

"Your duty is to guide the Once and Future King to Albion," refutes one.

The next continues. "Protecting his life is but one small part of that duty."

"Magic is still in chains."

"Fear still reigns."

"If you continue down this path," one begins the warning, and the next picks up in the middle of her sentence without pause.

"All will be lost," she says.

"Albion will fall," says the next, eyes accusing.

"And you will walk this world alone." The three speak their ultimatum as one, their mingled voices ominous and jarring to the ear.

Arthur looks at Merlin. His face is white, and he stares at the Disir as though he has forgotten the rest of them are there. He glances around. Everyone else wears matching expressions of confusion and wariness - except for Mordred, who looks as horrified as Merlin.

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, there you have it. Pretty short, but I hope you liked it! If you did, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. And, if you like, my [tumblr](https://kimirce.tumblr.com/) is always open if anyone wants to talk to me there!


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